Pizza Jones and The Eggplant Alternative

Sometimes I get a craving for something a little cheesy with pepperoni, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions....something yummy.  Sounds like a Pizza Jones to me!

But with so many dietary considerations our the house, I'm trying to keep an eye on carbohydrates.  Eggplant is a great way to get most of the fun of good pizza without any of the starchy guilt. You can even cut it with a pizza cutter when the time comes!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, assemble all ingredients and tools.

Scoring eggplant with a fork

Select firm, shiny, unblemished eggplants. These will become your pizza's base.  Once the veggies are washed clean, score the skin with a fork.

If you want to peel it, that's fine too. It's one of those personal preference things. Just be careful not to over cook it, skinless eggplant slices tend to get mushy quicker than their "clothed" counterparts.

NOTE: I don't bread my eggplant usually....it just tends to make everything too gummy and overcooked.  Besides, bread is what we're trying to avoid with this dish.

Next, slice the eggplant into disks and place these on  a wire rack for

Seasoning on the rack

seasoning. This step is important; it's where your pizza's "crust" starts developing flavor.


Think garlic, oregano, basil, dried onion...things you'd expect in a traditional pie. Be generous.   While doing that, heat and prepare your pan with either release spray or an even coating of oil. Then add the eggplant slices, spiced side down.  While they're cooking, season side two, then flip and cook them too. 

Cut the other ingredients in between spicing, flipping and so on.  You know the ones...tomatoes, mushrooms, green onions, pepperoni....what you usually like on your "regular" pizza pies.  In truth, I haven't tried pineapple with it yet, although Hawaiian is one of my favorite pizza types!

Don't let the eggplant slices get overcooked!  A little browning is all that's needed. Pay extra attention if you skinned the vegetable ahead of time...don't want it to turn to mush!

Prepare one or two cookie sheets by coating with an even film of olive oil or cooking spray.  Sometimes I sprinkle a little cornmeal on top of this, sometimes I don't  For this recipe I didn't but if you want to, so be it.
You'll find an extra texture and flavor to the underside of your "crust" when it's done.

Parm/Romano cheeses and green onions

Arrange eggplant slices to form a base for your other ingredients.  Then it's all a matter of layering.  Start with cheese, the "glue" for your pizza.  I sprinkle some grated Parmesan and Romano, then go in for the kill with a generous dose of Mozzarella.

After that comes the diced green onions.  I prefer these to the full grown onions because they have a more delicate flavor-they give a hint of their lineage without going overboard, and are tiny, delicate slivers rather than big, strong tasting strands. 

Next comes diced fresh tomatoes. 

Tomatoes diced

I don't bother with  canned tomatoes here, but if you must don't forget to strain them first. After that I usually do a little more spicing - garlic, oregano, a little crushed dried anise or fennel - and then back to layering.
Then I add an additional sprinkle of Parm/Romano...then more layering.

IMPORTANT: Try to distribute everything evenly, that way you'll be sure your flavors will be balanced.

Pepperoni and mushrooms

Next comes pepperoni, mushrooms and what ever else you might like....olives are nice, anchovies, green and or red bell peppers, sausage, spinach, diced garlic....kitchen sink.  Go ahead!  Have some fun!  Just remember to drain anything that comes with extra liquid, and in the case of the kitchen sink, make sure you have a professional installation-don't want any leaking going on!

At long last comes the final few additions....a nice sprinkling of Parm./Romano,a dash more garlic and oregano if you think it's needed, then a final bit of Mozzarella....just because.  

With a final flourish, put the assembled "pizzas" in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until everything is cooked and the cheese is melted.  There might be a slight browning to the top of any exposed eggplant edges. That's okay.

After it's done, take the pies out of the oven and let them rest for about five minutes while you call everyone to the table.  This pie will slice easily with your favorite pizza cutter.  Serve with soda, beer or other favorite beverage and any side-dishes you want.  But even if you just serve it solo, you can feel assured that you've eaten your veggies.

No guilt, no gluten Eggplant Pizza...Enjoy!

Eggplant Pizza....Enjoy!

 

As always, let me know what you think...if you have any variations or suggestions....any recipes you'd like to see on the site-along with your name as contributing cook.

KITCHEN TOOLS - Spice Racks

Spices have been with us since we first crawled on the earth.

Spice rack

We've been using spices since as far back as 50,000 BC, according to archeological findings. 

The spice trade developed throughout the Middle East in around 2000 BC with cinnamon and pepper, and in East Asia (Korea, China) with herbs and pepper. The Egyptians used herbs for embalming and their need for exotic herbs helped stimulate world trade.

The word spice comes from the Old French word "espice" which became "epice" and which came from the Latin root "spec", the noun referring to appearance, sort, kind.

By 1000 BC, China, Korea and India had medical systems based upon herbs. Early uses were connected with magic, medicine, religion, tradition, and preservation.
With that kind of history, spices deserve a good home.
Enter the Spice Rack. These things have a history too, as one might imagine.

Experts think that the invention of the spice rack took place in 1000 B.C and was probably constructed of wood. Built for storage rather than for decorating the kitchen, they were utilitarian, plain.  
As time progressed and spices became more commonplace and spice racks moved from hidden corners in the back pantry to becoming a decorative focal point the kitchen.

My kitchen has spice racks, drawers, cabinets and shelves....I guess you could say we have a lot of spices in our house. My favorite is one Jack made for his mother when he was 19 years old-he's 61 now.  A family heirloom, it holds a place of honor in our kitchen.

Aside from being decorative treasures they're also very functional.  They keep the spices organized and shielded from dampness, light and heat.  

Jack's home made cabinet (closed)

That's a major consideration; protecting spices from dampness, light and heat.  Too often they are left defenseless against the elements...exposed to things that can and do destroy them.  And then you are left to wonder why the ground garlic is clumpy, the sage has lost its sage-ness and the basil has started to smell like a damp basement.  What a waste!  What a tragic loss of beautiful flavors!
Try to remember spices come from living things...and though they're no longer part of the plant they came from, they're still subject to the whims and whimseys of nature. 

Jack's home made cabinet opened

Keep this in mind when planning your kitchen.  Locate your racks away from direct sunlight, dampness and heat.  Also, consider more than one so you can organize your spices according to use.  Some are for baking, others for roasting, stewing and so on.

Also, remember that spices have a shelf life.  If they start smelling sour they probably are.  Or if the green oregano is starting to look grey, it's most likely past its prime. All it takes is a little TLC.

Your food....and your spices will thank you.